Tag Archives: breach of good faith

Dan James – still, unaccountably, a Swansea player. But not a very happy one.

It was a very, very odd transfer deadline day, even by the bizarre standards of Leeds United. As most will by now know, the seemingly nailed-on transfer of Daniel James to Elland Road from Swansea City fell through – literally at the last minute. On this occasion, it sounds like it’s not the player’s fault, nor that of Leeds – instead, it would appear that this is all down to Swansea backtracking at the last minute. That seems very unprofessional, if it’s true. And, although some Swansea fans will be dancing with glee, or at least trying to hide their embarrassment, they may well now have themselves an unhappy and hostile player on their hands. It sounds as though Daniel James, having travelled up to his native Yorkshire, passed his medical and then having to hang around Elland Road for five hours, waiting to be announced as a Leeds United player, is anything but happy.

Phil Hay of the Yorkshire Evening Post summed up in a few succinct tweets some VERY strange behaviour from Swansea City: “Essentially, deal was agreed, James passed his medical, was sat at Elland Road from about 6pm waiting to be unveiled and Swansea went quiet. Stopped responding to contact and 11pm went by. No deal sheet in with the EFL so as far as this window is concerned, James to Leeds United isn’t happening. A very awkward situation for James who told Swansea that he wanted to leave and take the move. Leeds might revisit this in the summer but that’s for another day. Big frustration to have missed out on him”.

It’s early days after a very strange evening – but there are all sorts of possibilities here. Have Swansea acted “in good faith” towards a fellow EFL club – or indeed to their own player? Does Dan James have a case to claim that Swansea are in breach of the contract between them? There will be lots more to come on this but, as it stands, Swansea seem to be bang to rights on deeply unprofessional conduct, possibly even, given their head in the sand refusal to respond to all contact from Leeds after 6pm, maladministration. Surely, at the very least, Leeds United should be making an official complaint.

It’s going to be an interesting next few days, to be sure. And, let’s not forget, Swansea City are due at Elland Road shortly. Just how will Daniel James feel about that particular match?